SF3 - the SmartFone Flick Fest is Australia’s international smartphone film festival.

Open to filmmakers of all ages from every country; from first-time filmmakers to professionals. As long as your film is shot entirely on a smartphone or tablet, your film is eligible for submission. Our 2020 Festival Ambassadors are Phillip Noyce, Kerry Armstrong, Christopher Stollery and Kriv Stenders.

We have 6 categories in 2020 including a very special brand new isolation category. They are: SF3 Best Film (films 20 mins and under), SF3 Best Feature Film, SF3 Kids (for filmmakers 16 and under at the time of filming), the Luma Touch Finished on Mobile Award (for films both completely shot AND edited on a mobile device or tablet), the SF3 Iso Film (for films shot within local lockdown laws & 3 mins or less) and the SF360 Award (360 and VR videos).

Everyone has a great idea for a short film and a potential movie camera in their pocket, so no excuses. Here’s your chance to start filming and be in the running to share in over $40,000 worth of prizes and have your film screened on one of Australia's premiere screens in front of a global audience at our 2020 Gala Finals and SF3 Kids Finals, October 9-10th, 2020 at Event Cinemas George St in Sydney, Australia.

Our finalist films and one feature film will be selected from all the entries to screen at SF3 2020. Last year we screened 31 films. We will be holding three live screenings and awards in an exciting venue partnership with Australia's largest cinema chain and home to premieres and Hollywood Galas, Event Cinemas George St, in Sydney, Australia. Our festival will include live screenings, red-carpet events, VIP party, networking events and masterclasses. If the Covid-19 situation and lockdowns have not eased, we will host SF3 2020 online.

In 2019, SF3 was held the weekend of September 14-15th at Event Cinemas, George St, right in the heart of Sydney, Australia. Our 2018 Gala Finals were a complete sell-out at the Sydney Opera House and our SF3 Kids and Shortlist Screenings were held at Event Cinemas Bondi Junction. From 2015-2018 we held our Gala Finals at the iconic art deco Chauvel Cinema in Paddington, Sydney. We are passionate advocates for the showcasing of the best smartphone films from all around the world, show up on Sydney's top big screens.

Many of our past Top Ten and shortlisted films have been invited to screen around the world at our partner film festivals including the International Mobil Film Festival in San Diego, the Syria Mobile Film Festival and more. The opportunities are endless for smartphone filmmakers.

All films MUST be shot entirely on a smartphone or tablet, meet our time requirements and you can use any editing software, apps and phone additions, and you can edit on a PC, laptop, tablet or your phone.

So, pull your phone out of your pocket and start filming, it really is that easy!

Awards & Prizes

SF3 is proud to award over $40,000 worth of prizes from our amazing sponsors including prize packs from our Major Sponsors - Treehouse Creative, Struman Optics & Luma Touch, our Bronze Partners - Chicken & Chips Casting, and prize partners Shotlister, Ink Tip, Final Draft, Rode Mics, The Hub Studio, Screen Actors Workshop, Power Productions and Story Board Quick, the Australian Cinematographer's Society, Screen Producers Australia, the Australian Writer's Guild, the Australian Director's Guild, iPitch TV, Laugh Masters Academy, Ribbet, AFI/AACTA, Ribbet, Backstage, Sandra Alexander, Ridley St, Charliee Presley & NIDA.

Prizes awarded: SF3 Best Film, SF3 People's Choice, the Luma Touch Finished on Mobile Award (wins a brand new iPad Pro), Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, WIFT Women In Film Award, Best Actress, Best Actor, & Best Kids Flick (for under 16s), Founders' Flick Pick, Best Community Film Award, the Best SF3 Iso Film and Best 360/VR Video.

Rules & Terms

The rules are simple:
1. Your film must be shot entirely on a smartphone or tablet, or a 360 camera for SF360. The only exception is in our feature film category where we will allow a small amount of drone footage. The amount is discretionary but must be an insignificant amount of your film and used only sparingly.
2. Films for SF3 Official Selection must be no longer than 20 minutes including titles and credits. There is no minimum time limit. Films for the SF3 Iso Category must be a max of 3 minutes.
3. Films for our feature film category must be a minimum of 50 minutes in length, no maximum time limit.
4. All 360 and VR entries to SF360 must be a maximum of 20 minutes with no minimum time limit.
5. SF3 accepts any and all genres.
6. All scripts and ideas must be your original material.
7. Copyright material can only be used if you have written permission to do so, and we can ask at anytime to see this permission.
8. You can use any software or apps to edit your video and audio, and can edit on any device.
9. You can use any software for colour correction or special effects.
10. You can use external microphones, lenses, lighting, tripods, etc.
11. Your film must meet all the terms and conditions of the festival to be eligible.
12. The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding film selections and prize winners.
13. SF3 Kids Flicks Category and Competition is for Australian and International filmmakers aged 16 years and under at the time of filming. A kids film for the purposes of SF3 is a film who's director and/or screenwriter are 16 years or under at the time of filming. All other roles on the film, including the DOP and actors and editors may include people of all ages, however, the film must be the idea of a filmmaker 16 years and under and all concepts of editing, camera angles and all other relevant artistic choices must be primarily decided upon by the filmmaker 16 years and under who enters the film.
14. SF3 is open to filmmakers from every country.
15. Films will be accepted from filmmakers of every age.
16. The WIFT Australia Award is for the best female creative, decided by our judges, who worked on one of our Official Selection films in a crew capacity, not limited to the producer, writer, DP, etc. The director of each film will be asked to nominate an outstanding female that worked on their film, and this can include themselves.
17. The SF3 Community Award is for a film which showcases stories, actors and/or people that are under-represented on our screens and showcases them in a moving, positive, or special way. This will be decided by our judging panel.
18. The Luma Touch Finished on Mobile Award is for a smartphone film that must be both completely shot and edited on smartphones or tablets only. You may use any editing program, but you must show us evidence that it was edited on a device; evidence includes screenshots of you editing or a short BTS of you editing the film.
19. To be eligible for the SF3 Best Feature Film Award, your film must be a Sydney public premiere, but it is allowed to have screened in other cities and countries.

Check out our site for full T&C's and to ask any questions - www.sf3.com.au
21 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Alanna Rose

    We really loved this festival, very professional and very supportive of young filmmakers. Looking forward to next year.

    October 2019
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    Response from festival:

    We absolutely loved having you and the girls a part of SF3 Kids. Can't wait to see what they do next!

  • Imogen Ross

    Fantastic festival with great emerging talent!

    September 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Imogen! Loved having you ate SF3 2019.

  • Beck Williams

    I am so honored to have been a part of this festival. From the beginning the festival team was very communicative and positive. I enjoyed how personable the founders are, I could tell they are very passionate about what they do; as a filmmaker I felt very welcomed and informed. Though I didn't have the chance to attend, I still felt very involved thanks to the festival's outreach and online updates. Seeing previews of the other submitted works was also inspiring. This was a wonderful opportunity and I am grateful for the experience.

    September 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Rebecca, thanks so much for your amazing words and even more incredible film. We loved screening Felix and can’t wait to see what you produce over the next few years of your career and beyond!

  • Sharon Willdin

    Great event and the organisers where incredible at promoting the films and participants.

    September 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Sharon,
    Thanks so much. We loved having Caleb’s film in our Fest and loved meeting you all. Can’t wait to see more films from you too.

  • Michèle Jedlicka

    It's hard to explain how you can feel so at home in a room of strangers, but that's the warm, welcoming feeling I experienced at the SF3 festival. I was proud to have been a selection. I am so glad I made the trip, and the organisers did a terrific job putting events together to accompany the main event, and I got to meet some key people to aid me in my smartphone filmmaking. Communication was excellent and personal - hats off to Ali and Angela for their patience and I really hope I have a good film to enter next year, because I would love to be part of this festival again. Thanks guys!

    September 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Michele,

    Wow you’re just soo amazing! Thankyou Thankyou. We LOVED having you make the trip for SF3 and are soo proud to have shown your film, Interview. Can’t wait to see you again and see what films you make next!